What are you going to do with scissors? Apart from pierce the bag and possibly yourself? A pen knife would be sufficient if you did need to cut anything, ideally a Swiss army one with a fold out pair of scissors if you really felt the need.

My main concern now is punctures. I have been a road rider for 15 years so not used to innter tubes, except when I used to change them on my mountain bike when I was a boy.

Is it more or less the same changing an inner tube on a drz400 as a mountain bike? Wheel off with spanners, tyre off with levers, find offending item causing the puncture and remove. Put in new tube, tyre back on, wheel back on and pump up?

My questions then would be:

1. Motorcycle tyre levers must be bulky and heavy, how do you guys carry them?2. Would you carry a new inner tube or a repair kit?3. What do you think of these tyreweld type products? Are they any good just to get you home? They seem quite compact, fix the puncture and pump your tyre back up - too good to be true?4. Mousses seem great but are far too expensive and don't last very long, if I understand correctly? Does anyone on here use them?5. How do you pump the tyre back up after you have replaced the inner tube and got the wheel back on the bike?

1. Motion Pro do some mighty fine lightweight tyre levers with different size ends to fit your axle nut & rim lock. 2.I used to carry a spare front tube in a fender bag as a front one can be used in a rear at a push, I also carry a few patches..just in case. 3. Had Slime in my tubes, never had a puncture since using it but might not of had anyway...some say there is not enough pressure for it to work properly..4. Never tried Mousses, have just switched to Tubliss..I'll let you know how that works out. 5. You can get some very small hand pumps used by mountain bikers, have a look in halfrauds...

My levers are approx. 9" long. They don't need to be longer and fit in a tailbag attached to my rear mudguard. I carry a spare front and rear tube and puncture outfit, again on the bike. Motion Pro levers do look lovely (but expensive) bits of kit and can always be strapped to the bike. Some people carry them strapped to the forks. Small mountain bike pump from Halfords works fine. Most important thing is to practice changing the tube to make sure you can do it with the tools you have. It's certainly not as easy as a bicycle tyre! Make sure you have a spanner to fit the security bolt too. I've had no luck with slime, tyreweld etc on tubed tyres but others have. I wouldn't rely on it. Mousses or Tubliss is the way to go eventually in my view.

May I endorse Vern's comment about strapping some tools, such as the tyre levers and brake/clutch levers, to the various chassis rails to save weight in the bag.

Out in the countryside a colleague can use their side stand as a bead breaker tool to force the first part of a reluctant tyre off the rim.

If I might suggest a Motion Pro bead buddy (other makes are available) adaptor which really do work well when refitting tyres, plus if changing tyres/tubes at home remember to sprinkle talcum powder around the tube or inside of the tyre to lube and cool the tube in motion. Do not secure the tube to the wheel rim with a locknut so as to allow possible movement should the tyre move on the rim otherwise the tyre can pull the tube and rip the valve body off of the tube.

After fitting a tyre use 'Tippex' to mark the tyre and wheel rim so that in use you can quickly see if they have moved in relation to each other.

I have used the tyre slime to which you make reference to act as an inner lubricant to the tube, at low tyre pressures I think that it helps prevent 'snake bite', punctures but that is just my opinion and others are free to disagree. If you do use such a product then make sure that when you check tyre pressures that the valve is higher then the 9 o'clock position or you will get covered in the stuff

Additional ideas are that some folk after buying a used bike will fit a new clutch and/or throttle cable, leaving the original in place strapped to the new one.

Motion Pro also produce a compact multi tool pack, which I carry and have used to good advantage in the past.

You will pick up lots of ideas by simply looking at other folk's bikes and from talking with members out on a run.

TTFN

Hugh.

_________________Please note that I am not a National TRF Officer, any views expressed are my own and may not be in accordance with any official policy.

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